Anderson bringing ‘Sweet Potato Tour’ to Marshall

November 16, 2013

MARSHALL - This past year, comedian Louie Anderson sprang off a high dive and into a new way of living.

Anderson will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, at the Ramada Inn in Marshall. He will share the stage with Jason Schommer and Rox Tarrant. Doors open at 5 p.m.

Anderson's appearance in Marshall is part of "The Sweet Potato" Tour, referring to a bit from one of his early routines about Thanksgiving.

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"I always love that people mention it to me all the time," Anderson said about the comedy bit.

Recently, Anderson has started a movement, Off the Couch, a community of those aspiring to lose weight. Anderson said it all began with his appearance on the ABC reality television show "Splash."

"I was on 'Splash,' and I said to the people watching, 'I got off the couch, and you can to,'" Anderson said.

How he got on "Splash" in the first place, Anderson said, was a interesting story.

"They brought me the tape of the show from Holland," Anderson said. "I thought, 'I could do that.' Something about it looked like a good experience for me. I was one of their obvious choices, of course."

Anderson took on the challenge "Splash" had to offer, saying he got to do every dive on every single level.

"I participated fully" he said. "It inspired me. People started writing me 'If you can do that Louie, I can get moving.' It really changed my life in a lot of ways."

So now Anderson's encouraging others to get moving.

"I just tell people they can walk as long as they want," Anderson said. For example, when he was recently in Raleigh, N.C., he went walking for a 45-minute stretch. "I'm not more interested in the amount of time, it's about getting moving."

And while he was in Raleigh, Anderson said he ran into a scavenger hunt group during his walk.

Anderson said he's working on a series of movement videos, which is still in the infancy stage.

"When you're a big person, how do you start exercising?" he said about creating the video series. It's "how do you get off the couch in reality," he said.

Anderson said he also has an hour's worth of new material and a pilot for a television show.

"They're shopping it right now," Anderson said about the television pilot.

Anderson also released a standup comedy special last year, "Big Baby Boomer."

"It's some of my best stuff," Anderson said.

During his "Sweet Potato Tour," Anderson said he'll talk about the "Fs" - food, family, fun and fat.

"I'm working in the new stuff and bringing back the classics," he said.

Schommer has been the opening act for Anderson for the last two years. According to Anderson, "Jason is funny, clever, smart and on his way to the big time.

"(It's) laugh-until-you-cry stories combined with playful one-liners covering a wide array of topics ranging from the daily struggles of life to his lovable, yet kooky, Minnesotan family," said a news release.